Ibadan youths petition Buhari over alleged plan to depose Olubadan

Some youths in Ibadan have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to warn Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State not to depose Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, over the monarch’s refusal to accept Olubadan declaration.

The youths, under the aegis of Integrity Youths of Ibadanland, also called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, to investigate the attack on the Olubadan palace by yet-to-be identified gunmen during the installation of some mogajis and baales.

They accused the governor of making some surreptitious moves to depose the monarch. President of the group, Mr. Ojekunle Wasiu and General Secretary, Mr. Ganiyu Kamaldeen, in a statement yesterday, accused the state government of intimidating the monarch and coercing him to recognising the newly-installed 21 Obas by the governor.

The Ibadan indigenes alleged there were clear indications that the state government had tried to cancel the conferment of chieftaincy titles by the monarch.They said: “This therefore convinced us that the government knew about the shooting which was done apparently to intimidate the monarch so that he would shelve the conferment of the titles.”

“We consider the threat as height of insult anyone could pass on His Imperial Majesty. Olubadan has not violated any law of the land that could warrant being threatened by the government.

“We, therefore, use the opportunity to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to call Ajimobi to order so that the peace we have been enjoying in the city will not be breached.

“We also appeal to the Inspector-General of Police to kindly step into the issue of shooting at the palace and ensure that those involved are arrested and made to face justice.“May we state that the state government and the 21 new kings should be held responsible if anything untoward happens to our dear father, the Olubadan of Ibadan.”

Meanwhile, Governor Ajimobi had said he would never be provoked to the extent of deposing the monarch who he fondly calls his father.The governor said he would make the monarch reason that the review of the Olubadan chieftaincy declaration of 1959 and installation of the obas was not intended to rubbish the esteemed throne of Olubadan but to make the city be at par with other cities which have more than one kings.